Star Seers
by StrawberrySilver
Summary: Starclan is in disarray. The Clans fight more and more and Gatherings come to a halt. With only the guidance of Star Seers, cats blessed, or cursed, with mismatched eyes from Starclan to end the conflicts and save the forest, the Clans are spiraling downhill. Fast. And the Star Seers can't seem to do anything about it. T for blood, guts, and gore.
1. Prologue

"Redheart?"

"I'm here."

"Lionfur?"

"Here."

"Mouseleaf?"

"Where else would I be?"

"Then I bring this meeting of Starclan to order."

About twenty cats stood together, no order to them at all. Their paws shone with the stars, their pelts giving off a slight glow. One stood at the front of the group, his large meow carrying so even those cats not apart of the group could hear if they so chose. He nodded to a blue-pelted she-cat.

"Bluestar?"

"I believe Firestar's right. We need to send help to the Clans. Hard times are coming, and they must be able to help themselves."

"Thank you, Bluestar-"

"That's mouse-brained!" a cat yowled. "You just want Thunderclan to be all-powerful again! We gave them the Three last time; it's not fair that they should get yet more cats with the power of stars!"

"Well, what do you think, Poppyheart?"

"Give them to all the Clans!"

"We tried that once before, when we sent them to the new forest."

"Aye, but that was then! Cats from each clan wouldn't have any reason to get together unless we interfere! From one clan, and one clan only!"

"You've always sided with Bluestar on this, Ferncloud! Thunderclan is already strong!"

"You think I'd break the Code of Stars?"

"All Thunderclan does!"

A series of yowls broke out, until a symphony of heated arguments and squabbles filled the night. Claws were unsheathed.

"Thunderclan scum!"

"Windclan mange!"

"You-"

"Silence!" Firestar boomed, his own fur bristled. "Starclan is one clan! We are not Thunderclan and Windclan and Shadowclan and Riverclan! We are Starclan, and we protect all the clans!" He paused, turning his green gaze on every single cat in the group, while the shuffled their paws. "Now, can we settle this once and for all. Dark times are coming."

* * *

><p><em>Starclan is in disarray. The Clans fight more and more and Gatherings come to a halt. With only the guidance of Star Seers, cats blessed, or cursed, with mismatched eyes from Starclan to end the conflicts and save the forest, the Clans are spiraling downhill. Fast. And the Star Seers can't seem to do anything about it.<em>


	2. Chapter 1

Bramblestar peered across the Thunderclan camp. His amber eyes searched for only one, a pretty ginger who's belly was laden with kits. Unable to find his pregnant mate, Bramblestar anxiously trotted to see Jayfeather.

"What is it now, Bramblestar?" the impatient medicine cat meowed before Bramblestar could speak. It always unnerved him, the way Jayfeather knew when he was coming.

"Squirrelflight, she's-"

"Walking. It's important for her to stay active, especially as she's always been bouncy and full of energy. She can't laze around all day, y'know. But, she only left a few moments ago. You could probably catch her if you wanted."

Dipping his head in acknowledgement, Bramblestar turned to go. He had barely made it to the entrance of the den when Jayfeather called out to him.

"Bramblestar?"

"Hmm?" Bramblestar turned around to see his blind nephew gazing at him with such an intensity that Bramblestar could've sworn he could see.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure."

"_Privately."_

Shrugging, Bramblestar followed the gray tabby to the back of the den. The scent of herbs overwhelmed him, and he wrinkled his nose.

"What is it?"

"The Seers."

Bramblestar shuddered. The Star Seers were prophesied by Jayfeather himself eight moons ago. Already cats with the mismatched eyes were in elder's dens, proclaimed useless by leaders and clanmates. Bramblestar was guilty, too. Mosswillow was one of the Changed. She came into contact with some unknown force that forever scarred her. Her left eye, a dark amber, had shifted to a bright green.

The Clan had rejected her. She was one of the first to Change, and was greeted with hostility. Even her mate, Runningtail, had abandoned her. Out of malice towards her and pressure from other Clan leaders, Bramblestar had asked her to retire to the Elder's Den early. She had agreed, albeit a little bitter.

"What's on your mind?"

Jayfeather flicked his ears. "You can't keep putting off the Seers."

"Putting them off?"

"Yes. You can't keep sticking them in places because Mistystar says so. We have to _do _something. Starclan-"

Bramblestar put his ears back. "Are you saying I listen to the other leaders for advice?"

Jayfeather took a step back, hissing at Bramblestar. "I said nothing of the sort!"

Bramblestar growled in a threatening tone. "And when was the last time you heard from Starclan?"

"When the Star Seers were prophesied. That doesn't mean-"

"Jayfeather, I trust in Starclan just as much as you. But they haven't given us anything. These cats- it's some sort of... disorder. They aren't special. Starclan didn't send them."

"They did! They're trying to help us!"

"Jayfeather! Shut your fool mouth and listen for a change! _They mean nothing!_"

Jayfeather snarled, fur bristled, back arched. "Get out! I should have known better than to trust you!"

"I'm your leader!"

"And I keep you healthy! I'm tell you to _get out of my den!_"

Bramblestar spat angrily, drawing his claws in the dirt. He whipped around and stalked out of Jayfeather's den, spilling herbs as he went. He stormed into the clearing, seeing red.

_No. I'm not like him._ He forced his paws to walk, to still themselves. He forced himself to stand upright, to watch the Clan with the correct gaze of kindness and superiority. Leaving the Clan, he walked slowly, carefully, after Squirrelflight.

As soon as he was away from the Clan, he broke into a flat-out run. Dodging trees and roots, he crashed through the underbrush. He heard the scuttle of prey running away, but not the walking paws of a cat. He cried out loudly, shouting to the trees. He didn't care what he shouted, only that he expressed his fears, his worries, to the heavens.

"I AM NOT HIM!"

He was crying now, sobbing with great, heaving breaths. Tears ran down his tabby cheeks, his fur tangled with burs and thorns from the reckless running. But he didn't stop. He kept running, running, running, until he reached the place he knew would hold no answers.

He entered the dark cave, walking along the pitch black tunnel, keeping close to the wall so we wouldn't lose his way. And there it sat. Just an ordinary pool of water now, but the Moonpool when filled with starshine.

Lying down beside the pool, he closed his eyes. He wished himself to sleep, to a dreamless sleep of comfort. As he felt himself drift off, it occurred to him that Squirrelflight's kits were due at any given moment within the next few days. But he was already so far into the inky darkness beneath his eyelids, it seemed an evil thing to allow himself to rise..

...

When Bramblestar awoke, he was temporarily blinded by the Moonpool. It reflected starshine into his eyes, and he felt closer to the ever-distant Starclan. He cautiously stuck out his tongue and lapped up a bit of water. He had eaten earlier, so he knew he was breaking code by even coming here. But he needed answers. He closed his tired, still-red eyes and willed himself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

_Bramblestar stood quietly, gazing at the starry forest around him. The leaves were a bright green, and glittered faintly of starshine. He padded forward carefully, the forest scents flooding his nose. He pricked his ears towards the sound of a vole skittering across the ground, but didn't act upon it. This wasn't his forest to hunt in, or his prey to catch._

_"Hello?" Bramblestar called softly, hardly daring to shatter the utter peace and harmony around him. "Is anyone there?"_

_The forest was quiet. Too quiet for Bramblestar's taste, and he broke into a light trot. Looking around him all the while, Bramblestar began to worry. Where were the Starclan cats? He stopped suddenly. _It's because it's me, _he thought. _They still don't trust me.

_Bramblestar had tried to shake the living memory of his father, the vicious Tigerstar, from his daily life. While most everyone forgave him, it seemed to Bramblestar that they still found reason to blame him, and Tigerstar, for the horrible things that happened in day-to-day Clan life. The approval from Starclan when he earned his nine lives had assured him he was his own cat, not to be manipulated or confused with Tigerstar. But now Starclan's rejection served only to dishearten him._

_"Bramblestar?" Bramblestar froze. He turned around slowly, as though a quick movement would scare the cat away. Expecting hostility, Bramblestar was surprised to find genuine concern and kindness in leaf-green eyes._

_The ginger tom took a step towards the current Thunderclan leader. "Is something the matter?"_

_"Firestar? Firestar, it's you!" Bramblestar grinned, happy to see his old mentor and leader._

_Firestar purred. "As real as I could be!" He laughed, gazing at Bramblestar. "And I can tell that the clan is well fed by the looks of you."_

_The happy mood died as Firestar's face melted into seriousness. "Bramblestar, why are you here?"_

_Sensing the change in attitude, Bramblestar sat down facing the Starclan warrior. "For answers."_

_Firestar sighed. "Somehow, I knew you were going to say that." He glanced around quickly, as though they were being watched. "Let's go somewhere a little more... private." He got up and bounded away, and Bramblestar followed, eager for any sort of answer._

_With the guidance of only Firestar, Bramblestar was quickly lost in the maze of a forest that Starclan hunted in. He occasionally saw the outline of another starry warrior, but they never approached the pair and Firestar showed no interest in seeing them, either. It was only when they had left the creepy comfort of the forest behind and entered a cave similar to the cave leading to the Moonpool that Firestar showed any sign of slowing down._

_He hesitated briefly before trotting into the tunnel, considerably slower than the breakneck pace he had been setting. Bramblestar, grateful, didn't say anything about it. He simply followed, panting heavily._

_The tunnel darkened, just like the Moonpool tunnel. Bramblestar automatically put his tail on the wall to guide himself._

_When Firestar entered an open cavern, Bramblestar was only mildly surprised to see a Moonpool in the middle. It glittered brightly, although not with the same kind the Moonpool had._

_Firestar sat down, tail curled around his paws, and began his explanation._

_"This is the Seerpool. We watch the Clans through here, always guiding them. It's also how we entered the world in the Great Battle. Look." Firestar cautiously dipped a paw in the pool and swirled it around. The surface shimmered, and images swirled around inside. Bramblestar looked in, eager to see what Firestar had to show him._

_The Seerpool settled on the sleeping Clan. Lionblaze, Bramblestar's temporary deputy while Squirrelflight was in the nursery, paced anxiously across the entrance to the Clans. No doubt the warrior was anxious for his leader to return. Jayfeather sat next to his flustered brother, calm despite everything._

_"Where is he?" Lionblaze meowed._

_"For the last time, brother," Jayfeather sighed with an eye roll, "he's-" Jayfeather looked taken back for a moment._

_"What?" cried Lionblaze._

_"He's right here," the gray tabby answered softly._

_Lionblaze paused, looking around. "I don't see Bramblestar," he said, put off._

_"You wouldn't, mouse-brain. He's in Starclan."_

"WHAT?!"

_"Er, he's with Starclan. He's very much alive."_

_Firestar chuckled. "Jayfeather is a fine medicine cat, isn't he? Very in tune with Starclan."_

_"Yes," Bramblestar agreed. "That he is."_

_"I understand he prophesied the Seers."_

_"Yes."_

_Firestar nodded. "We don't know what's causing the Seers. Only that cats are disappearing from Starclan. We've connected the dots, even interfered with different cats to see if they held the souls of our missing companions, but found nothing. That's when the Star Seers showed up among the clans. We checked, double checked even, but they are appearing at random. Someone or something is doing this to them, and it's not Starclan."_

_"Could it be the act of a single Starclan warrior?"_

_Firestar sighed. "Yes, unfortunately. But it's disrespectful to accuse anybody. Starclan is full of honorable warriors- I can't see any of them doing such a thing."_

_"But the Star Seers exist! Surely you can't ignore-"_

_"We're not ignoring anything. Starclan is divided into three parts: those who want to cure or 'fix' those cats are Seers, the cats that want to use the Star Seers in any way we can, and the select few that want to allow the Clans to play it out themselves."_

_Bramblestar paced anxiously. "So, you can't do anything yet."_

_"Yet," Firestar agreed. "But we'll do something."_

_Turning his gaze back to the Seerpool, Bramblestar watched a ginger she-cat walk, or more accurately, wobble, out to the clearing._

_"Any sign of him?" she meowed._

_"Squirrelflight!" Jayfeather cried, aghast. "Get back in the nursery! Are you mouse-brained?"_

_"I'm fine," she snapped, swaying on her feet. "I want to wait for him."_

_Bramblestar felt his resolve splinter and break. _I'm causing her so much pain, _he thought. _I should be with her right now.

_Firestar sighed. "It's hard to be a loyal leader and mate. But you were right to come. I'm sorry I couldn't give you any real answers. I'm not allowed to." And with that, he faded away, and Bramblestar felt himself sink, sink, sink..._


End file.
